With over 90% of schools experiencing a tighter school budget, it’s time to start looking around for ingenious ways to get the most out of what you have.
We’ve compiled a few ideas to help you get more from your money…
Ensure that equipment or furniture is purchased at the best value for money. This does not necessarily mean the cheapest price. Invest in quality products with long guarantees. This way, you will be able to ensure that the life of your product is longer, and you won’t have to replace it so soon.
Consider letting areas of the school to others. Making use of the facilities out of hours is a great way to raise some extra funds for the school budget. Hiring out the hall for a yoga club, or using the field for a summer fayre is also a great way to raise awareness for your school.
Explore the options for cutting energy costs. How much could you save if you were to install more efficient lighting or heating systems?
If you haven’t already done so, centralise school expenditure to take advantage of bulk discounts and savings.
You may be eligible for extra funding. Speak to your local authority to find out more details. If you are in a listed building, and finding that renovation work is eating into a lot ofyour school budget, you can also apply to see if you are eligible for a listed buildings grant.
Negotiate for better discounts. Most companies are willing to consider their pricing, especially for a larger financial outlay like new computer technology or sports equipment.Planning meticulously helps to save costs down the line. Keep reviewing your plan and budget to make sure that you are staying on track.
Take a step back and challenge the status quo. Look at things that have been the same for years and see if you can generate any budget savings. For example, could you negotiate a better telephone contract?
Think outside the box. And get others to help you think outside the box. Collaborating with colleagues or even students can generate ideas that help save thousands of pounds of school expenditure every year.
Consider how much you could increase productivity amongst your admin team. Speak to one of our team to find out how you could maximise efficient working amongst your non-teaching staff. Freeing up their time will allow them to cover off tasks that may have previously had to be outsourced at a cost and make considerable school budget savings.
We’d love to hear your ideas on how to get the most from your budget! Use the comments box below to share your experiences.
